Axial impeller with rotating housing and positionable blades

ABSTRACT

An axial impeller has a tubular housing mounted on bearings for rotation. The housing is capable of engaging a motor or generator directly or through a drive belt. Interior turbine blades are mounted on the housing wall. The blades may be hinged so they can rotate between a retracted position adjacent to the wall and an extended radial position. Rods penetrate the wall to position the blades between retracted and extended positions. When extended, the blades may be rotated to propel a fluid through the housing; and when retracted natural fluid flow is less restricted.

PRIOR APPLICATIONS

This application, being filed within one year of the filing date ofprovisional patent application U.S. 62/334,319 filed on May 10, 2016claims priority thereto and subject matter thereof is incorporatedhereinto in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The field of this disclosure is impeller devices as used, for example,in mixing, homogenizing, pumping, and similar actions.

BACKGROUND

An impeller can be used as the rotating component of a pump orgenerator, and is usually made of a rigid material such as a metal. Ittransfers energy from a prime mover such as an electric or gasolinepowered motor-generator to a fluid being pumped or to increase therotational rate of the impeller itself. An Axial flow impeller imposesbulk motion, and typical uses include homogenization processes, in whichincreased fluid volumetric flow rate is important. Impellers are anintegral part of an axial-flow pump used in ventricular assist devicesto augment or fully replace cardiac function. Radial flow impellersimpose a shear stress to the fluid, and are used, for example, to miximmiscible liquids or, in general, when there is a deformable interfaceto break, or where mixing of viscous fluids is required.

In propeller type impellers the blades are axial thrust-giving elementsproviding a high degree of swirling in the vessel. The flow patterngenerated in the fluid resembles a helix. In paddle type impellersrelatively low velocities are attained. Examples are windmills, waterwheels, and washing machine agitators. In turbine type impellers theblades are often exposed to high temperature and pressure and alsoextreme mechanical stress. Such blades are held at both the cord and tipand usually have a relatively low ratio form factor.

The velocity achieved by the impelled fluid transfers into pressure whenthe outward movement of the fluid is confined by conductor resistance orreceiving apparatus such or valves, diverters, and receivers. Linearimpellers may have short cylinders with open inlet and outlet throughwhich a fluid moves. Rotating vanes to push the fluid axially provideincreased linear flow motion and builds fluid pressure. In a reverseaction an impeller may be driven by the flow of a fluid as for instancein a dam turbine so that the energy of the flowing fluid is convertedinto turbine rotation most often coupled to an electrical generator.

SUMMARY

In view of the foregoing, an impeller according to the followingdescription and illustrations can have a bearing mounted housing so thatits blades and housing rotate as an integral unit. According to anembodiment, a cylindrical housing may have impeller blades attached toits inner wall and extending radially toward the cylinder's center. Theblades may be cast as a single part with the housing, or may be fastenedto the inside wall or may be hinged to the wall so that they may beextended to a set degree to increase or decrease thrust.

The housing may be bearing mounted so as to rotate easily. It may haveexterior linear gear teeth wrapped in a circle around the housing whichmay be engaged with a drive chain or belt to be driven by a motor or todrive a generator or other apparatus.

The significant benefit of this design is that no central axle isrequired which reduces assembly complexity and lowers resistance tofluid flow through the housing.

These and other aspects of embodiments herein described will be betterappreciated when considered in conjunction with the followingdescription and the accompanying drawings. It should be understood,however, that the following descriptions, while indicating preferredembodiments and numerous specific details thereof, are given by way ofillustration and not of limitation. Many changes and modifications maybe made within the scope of the embodiments herein without departingfrom the spirit thereof, and the embodiments herein include all suchmodifications.

In this document, the terms “a” or “an” are used, as is common in patentdocuments, to include one or more than one. Furthermore, the term “or”is used to refer to a nonexclusive “or,” such that “A or B” includes “Abut not B,” “B but not A,” and “A and B,” unless otherwise indicated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the described apparatus are illustrated only as examplesin the figures of the accompanying drawing sheets wherein the samereference numeral refers to the same element as it may appear inmultiple drawing sheets.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of an impellerassembly according to the detailed description and particularly showinga full complement of radial impellor blades;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a further embodiment thereof shown asfully assembled; and

FIG. 3 is an axial view of a tubular housing thereof showing mountingand positioning means of several of the radial turbine blades therein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In an embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1, an axialimpeller 10 has a tubular housing 20 with opposing open ends 30 and 40,a longitudinal central axis 50, an exterior surface 60 and an interiorsurface 70; a circumferential drive engagement 80 is integral withexterior surface 60 and may be joined to surface 60 by forming, bonding,fastening and other means known to those of skill. A pair of circularbearing assemblies 90 each have an outer bearing race 92 engaged formutual rotation with an inner bearing race 94 via ball or rollerbearings or other means. The outer bearing races 92 are secured atopposing open ends 30 and 40 of tubular housing 20 where they are freeto rotate with housing 20 about inner bearing races 94. Such bearingsets are well known to those of skill in the field of this apparatus.Stationary tubes 100 may be engaged with inner bearing races 94 whereininner bearing races 94 and tubes 100 may be held stationary againstrotation using, for example, fixed stands 110. Stands 110 may be securedto fixed bases 120, and may use band-clamps 130 for encircling tubes100. This is only one approach to securing tubes 100 against rotationand other approaches will be known to those of skill. A set 200 ofturbine blades 210 may be engaged within tubular housing 20 as will befurther described below.

Drive engagement 80 may have a series of steps consisting ofspaced-apart ridges as shown in FIG. 1 or alternately may have a seriesof radial gear teeth 82 as shown in FIG. 2. In either approach or othersthat may be known to those of skill, will accept a flexible drive beltor drive chain (not shown) in engagement so as to be driven incircuitous rotation as housing 20 rotates, or for driving housing 20.Therefore, such a flexible drive belt or chain may be engaged with anelectrical generator or an electric motor (not shown) as would be knownto those of skill.

As shown in FIG. 3, turbine blades 210 may be secured to housing 20 oninterior surface 70 by welds 212 or by fasteners 214, and it is clearthat those of skill in the art will find ways of attaching blades 210 byother means. In operation blades 210 may extend radially from interiorsurface 70 toward axis 50. It is shown at “A” that blades 210 may beplaced in a retracted position roughly adjacent to surface 70 and, at“B,” in the radial extended position. To accomplish this, as shown,blades 210 may be secured by hinges, so as to rotate between theretracted position “A” and the extended radial position “B”.

In an embodiment as shown in FIG. 2, actuators 220 may be mounted onexterior surface 60 and as shown in FIG. 3, each turbine blade 210 maybe engaged with an actuator 220 by rod 234 which may be actuated byswitch 230. Switch 230 may have two positions; one for extending rod 234(retracted blade “A”) and the other for retracting rod 234 (extendedblade “B”). As shown, rod 234 may be engaged with a hinge arrangement236 at the proximal end of blade 210 which allows blade 210 to pivotabout its own hinge pin. A lever 232 may be used to manually changepositions of switch 230 between “A” and “B.” As shown, rod 234 mayextend through an aperture 22 in tubular housing 20 and aperture 22 maybe sealed for excluding fluid leakage from housing 20 as would be knownby those of skill.

It can be seen that when blades 210 are retracted (position “A”), fluidflow through housing 20 is able to move freely and housing 20 will notrotate; while when blades 210 are extended, as shown at “B,” a fluidflow through housing 20 will cause housing 20 to rotate. A prime moversuch as an electric motor joined to housing 20 at 80 or 82 by a drivebelt will be able to cause fluid flow within housing 20 propelled byturbine blades 210. Likewise, a fluid flow within housing 20 will driveblades 210 into rotation and this mechanical motion may be transferredto an alternator or electric generator. Because actuators 220 may enableadjustment of blades 210 to intermediate positions between “A” and “B”energy transfer may be throttled.

In the foregoing description, embodiments are described as a pluralityof individual parts, and methods as a plurality of individual steps andthis is solely for the sake of illustration. Accordingly, it iscontemplated that some additional parts or steps may be added, someparts or steps may be changed or omitted, and the order of the parts orsteps may be re-arranged, while maintaining the sense and understandingof the apparatus and methods as claimed.

What is claimed is:
 1. An axial impeller comprising: a housing of roundtubular construction extensive between proximal and distal ends, saidhousing having exterior and interior continuous surfaces; turbine bladessecured to said interior continuous surface, said turbine blades movablebetween retracted and extended positions; actuators mounted on saidexterior surface in positions radially opposite said turbine blades;linear actuator rods communicate radially between said actuators andsaid turbine blades through holes in said housing.
 2. The axial impellerof claim 1 wherein said turbine blades are secured to said interiorsurface of said housing by hinges wherein said turbine blades aremovable between retracted and extended positions.
 3. The axial impellerof claim 2 wherein said turbine blades are each independently movablebetween positions adjacent to said interior surface of said housing andalternately extending away from said interior surface into radialpositions within said housing.
 4. The axial impeller of claim 1 whereinsaid turbine blades are axially extensive between said proximal anddistal ends of said housing.